Lately, our idea of a hot date is to fling ourselves onto the couch. Then my husband casts me a knowing glance. I nod. And the big turn on begins. With the touch of Casanova, he fondles not just one, but five remotes, as we settle in to enjoy the PBS series about Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. Sexy? Not even I am that clinical . But there is something satisfying about watching this series with the man I love. Together, we learn tidbits of history that help us make sense of our world. We gasp at a sepia image of shacks dotting an urban waterfront. Could that be Seattle? These...

We’re just a few weeks away from an incredibly important election. The votes people cast Nov. 4 will shape our future and our children’s. I’m sure you are planning to vote, but maybe you know people who are on the fence—who think elections in non-presidential years just aren’t that important. Not true! Here are 11 great reasons you can share with them to get them to the polls: 11. Bad politicians aren’t just elected by people who vote for them. They’re also elected by people who don’t vote at all. Don’t help elect politicians who work against your interests. 10. You can elect leaders who will...

Signing up for health insurance can be a difficult process to navigate, especially if English is not your first language. My parents had a very hard time with this , and I want to make sure no one else does. My parents migrated to the U.S. 26 years ago. Spanish is their first language, and they – like so many other people who migrate here -- have a very limited vocabulary in English. I am their translator but so many migrants like them do not have translators, particularly young adults who lack the financial means to afford one. That’s a significant portion of the population that potentially...

In the daily whir of parenting, of dinners that need to be cooked, laundry that needs to be folded, homework that needs to be checked, bills that need to be paid, it is easy to overlook the signs of bullying. Your child’s stomachache, his refusal to take the bus to school or lack of appetite due to stress may be signs that he is being bullied -- or is the bully himself! But as every ridiculously busy parent knows, it is hard to parse out the signs. That is why I am grateful for the growing anti-bullying movement. October is officially National Bullying Prevention Month and the U.S. Substance...

When you look at how our federal government spends money, do you see the priorities of your family and your community reflected? Your own day to day priorities might include getting something on the table for dinner, volunteering at your child’s cash-strapped school, scheduling doctors’ visits, or worrying about whether your family earns enough to pay your bills, let alone save for college or retirement – or all of the above, at the same time. Our Voter’s Guides will help you get informed about federal spending on things like healthcare, education and social security, so you can make sure...

Right now, your members of Congress are home in their districts—many working hard on their re-election campaigns. One thing we know for sure - they’ll be reading their local newspapers to track the election races and find out what’s important to their constituents. This makes it the perfect time to submit a letter to the editor in support of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)! Will you join me in writing a Letter to the Editor that calls on Congress to act to re-fund CHIP when they return to Capitol Hill after the election? http://action.momsrising.org/lte/CHIP_LTE/ It’s easy!...